The Comforter
by TurtleCuddler
Summary: Even a Leader needs to be comforted, held, and loved. April helps Leo through a rough time in life.


April was awakened suddenly from her sleep. A light tapping sound on her bedroom door. Had her slipping from her warm bed into the chilly night, to see who was there. She shivered feeling the ice cold floor, she wanted so bad to ignore the sleep disturber, and slip back into bed, but becoming a Konoichi of the Hamato Clan meant help her ninja family, no matter what.

April scanned the bottom of the door. She could see that who ever it was knocking hadn't turned on the hallway lights so Mikey and Raph were check off her list.

 _"It's probably Donnie needing help in the lab, or Leo trying to get the others up for training..."_ She sighed to herself.

Soon after April's sensai, their father, Hamato Yoshi was killed by the Shredder April decided to moved in with the ninja clan. She found that being there helped her to deal with the pain of loosing her Sensai and good friend. Little did she know that having her move in helped them begin to heal also.

April's sleepy eyes found the glowing numbers of the old alarm clock that Donnie had fixed for her. It was still too early to have training. The tapping sounded again.

"April. Are you awake?" Leo's voice whispered from the other side.

When April opened the door she was suddenly embraced by Leo, the leader of the Hamato Clan. Confusion washed over her, as the always stoic leader held her tightly. By the way his body shook she could tell that he had been crying.

"Oh..Leo." She struggled beneath his grip . Finally giving into the huge turtle man's hug, "What's wrong?" She freed an arm, and pat the back of his shell. His quiet sobs gave way to sounds of almost broken sadness. April could feel her own heart growing heavy with each broken raspy sobs."What can I do to help you, Leo?"

The leader stepped back meeting April's concerned face. She reached out touching his maskless face, gently drawing away the tears from his eyes with her thumbs.

"You've been crying for awhile, haven't you?"

Leo's eyes told the story.

"You haven't been sleeping well either..."

Leo shook his head.

"I understand." April hugged the leader once more. "You'll get through this Leo. I'm here for you. I'll try my best to help."

"Thanks April." Leo voice rasped, and he took a stepped back again meeting April's glance. He pulled his hand over his face, pinching his eyes closed.

"I'm just having a rough night." He quietly sighed. April knew that he was just trying to make an excuse.

"Leo you need to be truthful." He glanced up at April. He could see she was shaking from standing on the cold cement floor. He then looked around her dark room.

"Oh April..." Leo signed, "I didn't realize how cold it gets down here for you."

A feeble smile crossed April's face.

"I'm fine Leo I just need to warm up." April said glancing at her warm covers.

"You can go back to bed April. I'm better now." He smiled but she could see he was still struggling, and that he was just trying to save face.

"Leo..." She grabbed his arm. "Your not okay..." She pulled him with her to sit on the edge of her bed. She sat next to the turtle, sliding her icy toes under the covers .

Leo looked at her as she switch on a small lamp. He felt a bit nervous, and uncomfortable with the situation. He teetered back and forth, scratching the back of his head. April looked curiously at the leader

"What, are you cold too... I can share my covers. Maybe being warm will help you sleep."

April sat up and wrapped the huge fluffy comforter around the ninja. Making him look like a bundled up Eskimo.

"Oh man Leo...You look funny."

Leo's eyes rolled and a slight blush crossed his face.

"Awe Leo...Are you blushing?"

April wrapped her arms around him. She pressed her cheek into opening where his snout was poking out. She squeezed him a bit more.

"You guys are so adorable sometimes."

Leo felt his cheeks burning with her affection. The warmth of her comforter and the soft graze of April's cheek against his, strangely helped him feel better. Leo found himself laughing with April. April sat up and bopped Leo's nose. He gave her a playful look, and pulled the covers from his head.

" You're right. This comforter _is_ cozy. I think you've helped me a lot. I have all I need. Good night." Leo teased, and booped her back on the nose. The leader stood up with her comforter and waddled towards the door.

"You can't and take my comforter!" April just giggled, and sat on her bed still gushing over Leo wrapped inside of the blanket. "I'll freeze to death and it will be your fault!"

"I have an idea...It will be morning in a few hours, we can just hang out and watch a movie on my computer. Look, D fixed my phone so that it's all connected. She grabbed her phone and the computer on her desk turned on. Leo looked at the computer and then at April bouncing on her bed.

"Common, it will be like a slumber party!" She pat the space next to herself. "I have a download of Space Heros the Movie..." She coaxed, waving her phone in her hand.

Leo sighed, and waddled his way back to the bed. April had put the pillows so that it looked like a lounge couch. She then tip toed to her closet where Leo could see a small refrigerator and a shelf with snacks. She suddenly turned, squinting at Leo.

"Ninja! You tell Mikey of my stash I will end you in your sleep."

Leo smiled, and raised his hand in a oath of respect. A small thread of fear hit his heart. On whether she could kill him in his sleep... His dad had told them that there were things taught to women ninjas that were meant to get her away from various dangers. He remembered his father warning them about it once.

"Leo! Catch!" Leo moved quickly, catching the soda can that flew towards his face. He squinted back at the smiling Konoichi.

"Oops, I'm sorry. I was trying to toss it!"

"Ok, O'Neil!" He chuckled."I said I won't tell anyone... About your stash."

He watched as April leaped from the small area rug on the floor to the bed. It reminded him of when he was a kid, and his brothers played like the floor was hot lava.

"What are you grinning about?" She elbowed his side, and opening the can of soda.

"Hot lava..." He shrugged, taking a sip of soda. "We use to pretend that the floor was hot lava when we were would jump from different furniture, and rugs to get across the room."

"It must have been fun growing up with brothers." She smiled taking the soda can from his hands, and taking a sip.

Leo rolled his eyes, remembering all of the stuff they did when their dad wasn't watching.

"It's not as glamorous as you think. I usually had to clean up and cover for the others mishaps. Dad never "knew" some of what happened, but I'm sure he did. We weren't always the stealthy ninjas you see today." He watch her sipping the soda realizing that her lips now touched where his lips just were.

"What was it like?" She gave him the can of soda back. He glanced down. Then back to her.

"Well..dad always put me in charge when he meditated. Donnie was always the quiet one, always reading a book somewhere." Leo's eyes darted back and forth remembering the past.

"It was always Mikey and Raph that I had to worry about. Especially when they played hide and seek..." Leo pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked up at April and then finally took a sip of soda. He felt a slight tingle travel over him, and a smirk came to his face. Trying to not make thing awkward Leo shared more of his story.

" One time Mikey decided to hide really well. Raph knew where Mikey hid, but because Raph is Raph... I was in a panic trying to find him before dad finished. When I finally found Mikey he had gotten into Dad's secret box of candy."

Leo let out a huge sigh letting his fingers swirl over the top ridge on the can. He was impressed that April sat listening to the story so intently. Her guesture for him to continue brought a bigger smile to the leader's face.

"When I found him, Mikey was completely happy, and a sticky mess. I had to figure out how to cover for the whole thing. I ended up throwing Mikey into the tub, scrubbing him down. Later I told Dad that I ate the candy."

"Did you get in trouble?" April anxiously pat Leo's his train of thought.

"Um...Dad sort of grounded all of us for not taking care of each other. We had extra chores and training that month. I think he knew Mikey had been the one who ate his candy. Later Raph was given extra chores. I'm sure Mikey told Dad the truth later on."

"How old were you guys when this happened?"

Leo looked down at April's fingers drumming along his hand. Then to her face. He could feel his cheeks warming. April could see he was blushing, and move her hand away with a sly smile. Her eyes remained staring into his for a moment longer, until he looked away.

"Um... I think we were about seven when this happened." Leo said, with a nervous rasp.

"I'm a... actually feeling better, April. I really don't need to keep you awake with my silly kid stories." He shifted and began to wiggle free from the blanket.

"Oh... Okay." A wave of disappointment noticably came over April's face. "I'm actually not sleepy, and hearing about your childhood isn't boring in the least." April grabbed Leo's arm before he could stand.

"Leo... I know that since Splinter's death you have had the world on your shoulders." Leo slowly sat back down. "I've actually been worried about you all. That's why I moved back in... I couldn't take being at home knowing that you all were here. Without your dad." Leo breathed in deeply and faced April.

"Actually one of the promises I made to Splinter before he died, was that I would be here to take care of you guys. He told me once, after meditation, that I was to be your family's Hogasha." Leo's eyes widened.

April absentmindedly began to make small circles into Leo's arm with her fingers. Leo shifted his weight so that he say just infront of April. He put his hand onto her shoulder.

"April, I'm fine." The leader smiled down at April trying to reassure her. Her eyes met his.

"Hai Sensai." She answered back out of respect, and admiration. Leo's eyes darted between hers. His hand moved cupping April's face. Slowly the leader leaned himself forward. Leo steadied himself as her drew her to him.

At first April was taken by surprise. When Leo pressed his lips into hers she startled. Gently he let his lips caress sensation causing April to melt into his embrace. Her mind began swirling with the Ninja's passionate kiss. Leo pressed even deeper. Putting his hands behind her warmth of her lips feeling better than he could imagine. He pressed deeper before releasing her lips, leaving April breathless. The soft pop of the kiss ending embedded into his mind.

April slowly opened her eyes meeting the leader's smile.

"Do you ninjas have to be good at everything!?" She whispered. "Wow!"

Leo smiled and backed up. Slowly taking his hands from around April. She could see nervousness taking over his countenance.

"I'm sorry April... I Shouldn't have done that." He played shyly with the soda can as if he were waiting for her to respond. After a moment he looked back to find April staring off, touching her lips... Leo went to leave again.

"Leo... Stay here." April took the soda from the Ninja's hands and set it on her night stand. She reached up caressing his cheek.

"I know what being your Hogasha means Leo." April pulled on the comforter, causing Leo to face her. "Stay with me... Let me comfort you." Like a sheet of ice melting, April could see all of Leo's burdens falling from his shoulders. She laid him close to her in the bed. Holding her Sensai until he was sleeping.


End file.
